Victory

It was a little after three o'clock in the afternoon when Natas,
Tremayne, and Arnold ended their deliberations in the saloon of the
Ithuriel. At the same hour a council of war was being held by Generals
le Gallifet and Cosensz at the Crystal Palace Hotel, Sydenham, where the
two commanders had taken up their quarters.

Since daybreak matters had assumed a very serious, if not desperate
aspect for the troops of the League to the south of London.
Communication had entirely ceased with the Tsar since the night before,
and this could only mean that his Majesty had lost the command of the
air, through the destruction or disablement of his fleet of aerostats.
News from the force which had descended upon London told only of a
fearful expenditure of life that had not purchased the slightest advantage.

The blockade had been broken on the east, and, therefore, all hope of
reducing the city by famine was at an end. Their own war-balloons had
been either captured or destroyed, thousands of their men had deserted
to the enemy, and multitudes more had been slain. Every position was
dominated by the captured aerostats and the air-ships of the Terrorists.
Even the building in which the council was being held might be shattered
to fragments at any moment by a discharge of their irresistible artillery.

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Finally, it was practically certain that within the next few hours their
headquarters must be surrounded, and then their only choice would lie
between unconditional surrender and swift and inevitable destruction by
an aerial bombardment. Manifestly the time had come to make terms if
possible, and purchase their own safety and that of their remaining
troops. Both the generals and every member of their respective staffs
saw clearly that victory was now a physical impossibility, and so the
immediate issue of the council was that orders were given to hoist the
white flag over the tricolour and the Italian standard on the summits of
the two towers of the Crystal Palace, and on the flagstaffs over the
headquarters.

These were at once seen by a squadron of air-ships coming from the north
in obedience to Tremayne's summons, and within half an hour the same
squadron was seen returning from the south headed by the flagship, also
flying, to the satisfaction of the two generals, the signal of truce.
The air-ships stopped over Sydenham and ranged themselves in a circle
with their guns pointing down upon the headquarters, and the Ariel, with
Tremayne on board, descended to within twenty feet of the ground in
front of the hotel.

As she did so an officer wearing the uniform of a French General of
Division came forward, saluted, and said that he had a message for the
Commander-in-Chief of the Federation forces. Tremayne returned the
salute, and said briefly--

"I am here. What is the message?"

"I am commissioned by General Gallifet, Commander-in-Chief of the
Southern Division, to request on his behalf the honour of an audience.
He awaits you with General Cosensz in the hotel," replied the Frenchman,
gazing in undisguised admiration at the wonderful craft which he now for
the first time saw at close quarters.